Venetian blind and hardware therefor



July 9, 1935. A. E. LATHAM 2,007,375

VENETIAN BLINDS AND HARDWARE THEREFOR v Filed Dec. 27, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ALLEN E. LAT/7'1 July 9, 1935 A. E. LATHAM 2,007,376

VENETIAN BLINDS AND HARDWARE THEREFOR Filed Dec. 27, 1933' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 r 7 TIEJEL FIEJIIL.

INVENTOR. ALLEN E. LAT/VAN ATTORNEY Patented July 9, 19 35 l I UNlTED-"STATES PATENT} OFFICE 2,007,376

Allen B. Oakland, Calif. Application December zflflmgierlnl No. 704,081 16 Claims. (.01- 158-17) This invention relates generally to Venetian Figure '4 is a section on the line'oLFigblinds and the hardware therefor and more parure 3. ticularly to certain improvements in construction i r an 6 r resp v y p n i thereof which enable a betterblind to be proviews s owing the inte mediate t i ppo ta duced at less cost. Figure is a p n or a cord pulley construc- 5 In order to obtain the most satisfactory re- 3 Y suits with b1inds,- it is necessary that the slats w 8 be section through the der a l be accurately adjusted bothas to tilt as well as Shilwing the mounting of the locking mechanism height. As objects of the invention are included hr the cords raising and-lowering the the provision of-and certain improvements in tom hl I blind tflting mechanisms as well as in the mech- Figure 9 1s a section line P9 of F anisms for holding the cords for adjusting the tilting mechanisms and the height of thebottom 10 is F side elevation a bracket o mu mounting the header rail.

It frequently happens that blinds are installed, The Venetian- 0r louvre blind b 'fiz 15 ing'the tilt rail at one or more intermediate frame by unskilled or careless mechanics, so that the includes a header rah a mt 22, a P 1 slats rub and drag over the adjacent window 01 slats 23 and 5 mu supported frame. A construction herein disclosed prevents by tapes from the l F and by cords such an installation by requiring that the blind and 28 mm the header i connecbe installed so as to clear the window if it is tlonshnh'ble the slats; to be m tilting 20 not of an unusual construction of the tllt rail, as well as. to be raised and lowa with long blinds or Very wide blinds. it is ered by cords 21 and 28 to cover to different dequently necessary to include means for supportgrees the adjacent window opening defined by The tilt rail is supported at right hand 26 points. While such means are not broadly new, being disclosed in Patent 1,793,943 of February end by bracket secured the head and which includes an aperture to pass a head- 24th, 1931 to Leeper, the means herein disclosed includes various features of advantage not found less pin or screw 32 extending from mt At 80 in the prior art Thus the intermediate support its left hand end the tilt rail is secured to a means can be readily engaged and disengaged by a g gf g g gf gggf g xfg g ggg a hooking action operable with the fingers, while 36 is riveted the angular portion (Figure 4) the tilt and its other mechanisms are and is threaded to receive a screw 31 which exarranged that when the intermediate support is tends from a bracket 38 so that the tilt mu is released the tilt rail and all the slats can be readily removed from support on the header. The invention is also concerned with an improved means for retaining the bottom rail in a h r t height adjusted position by means of the cords g 'i jfgfl hf ffg fiffi 2 ;333: 2

40 which serve to raise and lower the bottom rail the bracket 40 t0 uncover and Q' the'windowwhen many slats are included, or the tilt rail The invention lncludes other features of is very long, one or more intermediate supports vantage, other objects and novel mechanisms and are des1mb1e In Figures 1, 5 and 6 1 have combination which will. appear at length in the shown a heavy stifi wire 4|, looped about the tilt it is desired to drop the tilt rail, it is only necessary to hold the railand-release the screw 31 following wherein a present preferred form of rail and secured by a plate 41 It is t be-noted 45 construction is disclosed in connection with the that thewire loop can be rocked in the plate drawings. along the longitudinal axis of the rail so as to Figure 1 is a front elevation of a Venetian blind free it from engagement with hook extension 43 in awindow p s pp d by b ackets, and. of a member 44 secured t the header. The

inc u a u t a d -mec anisms of 'tilt rail is sufliciently flexible to permit of a 50 the present invention;- slight deflection, if this is necessary, so that the Figure 2 is a front elevation of a bracket and wire can be inserted and removed from-the hook actuator for the tilt rail. which ordinarily prevents accidental disengage- Figure 3 is a side elevation of the mechanism ment of the wire while supporting it during roin Figure 2, a portion being in section. tation of the tilt rail. The combination of the rotatably mounted at its opposite ends. When 35 end brackets and intermediate support means enables the blind structure to be readily removed and inserted in the header.

To rock the tilt rail a worm 46 is mounted on a shaft 41 carried in bearings 48 on the bracket 38. This worm is above the gear tooth portion to facilitate assembly and removal. The shaft is rotated by a V-pulley 49 over which a cord 50 is extended. Slipping of the cord on the pulley to an undesirable degree is prevented by forcing a portion of the cord against the V- face of the pulley. To accomplish this, two grooved wheels 5| are mounted on pins 52 extending between opposite sides of the pulley between the adjacent inside faces of a U-member 58. Although the U-member can be supported from the head rail, in the present instance I have shown it with a leg 54 rotatably supported by a pin 56 and spaced by a washer 51 from the bracket 38.

A pull on the left hand end of the cord forces the left hand pulley to the left and rocks the U-member to the left about pin 56. This movement causes member 53 to rock about pin 56 to the left, in the direction of movement of the pulley in this case. This forces the right hand pulley to press the cord into the smooth V of the pulley to wrap the cord on the pulley, thereby obviating slipping. The greater the pull on the cord, the greater is the force on the opposite wheel, tending to force the cord againstthe pulley so that little slipping occurs, if any. While mechanisms of a similar general purpose have been used heretofore, the present device does not wear or tear the cord and'operates even though the cords vary in size (see Anderson patent of October 27, 1931, No. 1,829,718).

To limit the tilt of the tilt rail and prevent overrunning, the teeth formed on the angular portion 34' include a half tooth 60 at each end of the gear segment. Since these will not run in the worm, a simple but effective tilt limit stop is provided.

The head rail 2| is supported (Figure 10) .by

bracket 6| at each end thereof. These include a flange 62 from which extends a back portion 63 and two ears 64 for supporting the head rail. A-screw 66 is extended into the head rail through one car while an ear 61 on the back portion extends over the head rail to prevent it tipping Off the bracket. The bracket can be secured by screws 66 in the flange or in the back portion.

- thereover.

It is to be noted that the head rail is mounted on the bracket so that the tilt rail and slats, as appear in dotted lines in Figure 10, will clear theadjacent window frame and do not drag This is accomplished by providing. slot 69 therein to the left of the head rail, the center of the slot usually being over the center of the tilt rail and the slats. In this way even an inexperienced, or unskilled mechanic cannot install the blind so as to drag over any usual window.

The cords 21 and 28, which support the bottom rail, run through holes in each slot, the tilt rail and the head rail. In the head rail they run down slot 69 after passing over guide pulleys I I. To faciltate construction and provide a long life blind, the pulleys are mounted on a pin 12 14 in the head rail through which the cord passes.

The member 13 is cut away as at 16 to pass the cord.

Heretoiore the usual practice has been to guide the cords 21 and 28 away from head rail so that they could be freely operated to raise and lower the bottom rail, the cords being wound about a fixed support to hold the bottom rail in a desired position. In accordance with this invention, semi-automatic means are provided for holding the ends 21 and 28 upon manipulation and release by an operator. A cage 8| is mounted in an angular cut in the head rail so that the ends lead ofi over a pulley 82 from slot 69, to the operator. This pulley is rotatable on a pin carried in a member 83. This member, shown as a U-member with the pulley mounted between the legs, is carried in the cage by pin 84 and has two extending arms. It is to be noted that when the angle of the end passing over the pulley is varied, the member 83 moves on pin 84; in the preferred form, the member moves to a position midway between cord positions 86 and 81 in Figure 9. This movement, although small, is amplified by the extending arms which extend into slots 88 in opposite legs 89 of a member carried on pin 92. The legs 89 are connected by a portion 9| which is roughened and is adjacent the inner face of the cage.

In operation, the portion 8| lies against the cords when the bottom rail has been adjusted and the weight of the suspended slats and rails, together with the cam contour of portion 8|, hold the cord jammed against the inner face of the cage. When-a downward pull on the cords occurs, the jam is released and the cords run freely. When the bottom rail has been moved to a desired position, the operator merely moves the cords slightly to the left in Figures 1 and 9 and releases the cords. The movement to the left results in the pulley moving member 88 and .in turn the portion 6| to the left to engage and jam the cords. The cords remain in this position until released by a downward pull on their free ends when the device can again be manipulated after the bottom rail has been moved as desired.

I claim: 1. In combination, a Venetian blind tilt rail, a header rail, a bracket secured adjacent an end of said header rail, an insertable and removable pin engaging said bracket and said tilt rail, a supporting bracket-secured to said header adjacent the other end thereof and including a rotatable worm, a plate member for engaging the cluding a gear for engagement with said worm,

and a removable member for securing said plate member on said bracket with said gear in engagement with said worm, so that said tilt rail is supported and can be moved upon rotation of said worm.

2. In combination, a Venetian blind tilt rail, a header rail, a bracket secured adjacent an end of said header rail, an insertable and removable pin engaging said bracket and said tilt rail, means for supporting said tilt rail at an intermediate point from said header rail including a member movable with said tilt rail to support said rail and along the longitudinal axis of said rail to release said support, a supporting bracket secured to said header adjacent the other end thereof and including a rotatable worm, a plate member for engaging the tilt rail including a gear for engagement with said worm, and a member for securing said plate member on said bracket 3. In combination with a bracket for supporting a Venetian blind tilt rail, a wormrotatable in said bracket, a pulley for rotating said worm, a cord looped around said pulley with ends thereof extending in thesame direction, and means rotatable in the same direction of rotation and with said pulley for holding said cord frictionallyv against said pulley.

4. In combination with a bracket for supporting a Venetian blind tilt rail, a worm rotatable in said bracket, a pulley for rotating said worm, a

. cord looped around said pulley with ends thereof extending in the same direction, and two members engaging said cord, each member engaging said cord as it separates from the pulley loop to retain said cord looped about said pulley.

5. In combination with a bracket for supporting a VEietian blind tilt rail, a worm rotatable in said bracket, a pulley for rotating said worm, a cord .looped around said pulley with ends thereof extending in the same direction, two members engaging said cord, each member engaging said cord as it separates from the pulley loop to retain said cord looped about said pulley, and means for supporting said members for movement to bind said cord frictionally against said pulley upon rotation of said pulley. i a

6. In combination with a bracket for supporting a Venetian blind tilt rail, a worm rotatable in said bracket, a pulley for rotating said worm, a cord looped around said pulley with ends thereof extending in the same 'direction, two members engaging said cord, each member engaging said cord as it separates from the pulley loop to retain said cord looped about said pulley, and means rotatable in the same direction as said pulley for supporting said members to bind said cord frictionally against said pulley upon rotation of said pulley.

7. In combination with a bracket for supporting a Venetian blind tilt rail, a worm rotatable in saidbracket, a pulley for rotating said worm, a cord looped around said pulley with ends thereof extending in the same direction, two members engaging said cord, each member engaging said cord as it separates from the pulley loop to retain said cord looped about said pulley, a plate carrying said members, and a pin supporting said'plate for rotation relative to said bracket.

8. A Venetian blind tilt rail, a header rail, 9.

' wire looped about the tilt rail, means on said header rail for engagingsaid wire, and means on said tilt rail for. securing said wire thereto for movement with said tilt rail and formovement relative to said tilt rail to permit disengagement from said engaging means on said header.

9. In a Venetian blind, a head rail, a tilt rail. a bracket on said head rail, a worm on said bracket, a plate including an integral arm thereon for supporting an end of said tilt rail, a gear segment formed on said plate and engaging said worm to rock said tilt rail, and a removable spindle supporting said plate for rotation on said bracket. 10. In a Venetian blind, a head rail, a tilt rail. a bracket on said head rail, a worm on said bracket, and a plate supported from said bracket and supporting an end of said tilt rail, a gear segment formed on said plate and engaging said wonn to rock said tilt rail, and a half tooth formed at each end of said segment to limit rocking of said tilt rail.

11. In combination, a header rail, a tilt rail, a bracket at one end of said header rail, a pin extending from said tilt rail to engage said bracket, a bracket at the other end of said head rail, a plate member supporting said tilt rail, a removable stud for supporting said plate member on said bracket for rotation, a gear formed on said plate member, and a worm for engaging said gear.

12. In combination, a header rail,- a tilt rail, a bracket at one end of said header rail, a. pin extending from said tilt rail to engage said bracket, a member looped over an intermediate portion of said tilt rail, a member supported on said head rail and extending therefrom to beneath said loopedmember to support said member and said tilt rail, a bracket at the other end of said head rail, a plate member supporting said tilt rail, a removable stud for supporting said plate member on said-bracket for rotation, a gear formed on said plate member, and a worm for engaging said gear, said looped member being ro- I said spaced pulleys engaging said cord to hold said cord against said pulley face. 15. In combination, a cord, a pulley having a face over which said cord runs to move with said pulley, said cord being looped about said face with the ends of said cord extending in the same direction, a, plurality of spaced pulleys, each of said spaced pulleysengaging said cord to'hold said cord against said pulley face, and means supporting said pulleys for rotation, said supporting means being rotatable in the same direction as said pulley face.

16. A device for attachment to a head rail of a Venetian blind to tilt the tilt rail thereof, said device comprising a bracket for attachment to said head rail, a shaft rotatably supported on said bracket, a worm on said shaft, a plate bent to provide a gear segment plate portion to co 

